During his years as a market manager for H-E-B, Adam A. Sanchez Jr. helped open stores in San Antonio, Houston and Mexico.

During his years as a market manager for H-E-B, Adam A. Sanchez Jr. helped open stores in San Antonio, Houston and Mexico.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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While at Kiolbassa Smoked Meats, Adam A. Sanchez Jr. helped with its expansion into Mexico.

While at Kiolbassa Smoked Meats, Adam A. Sanchez Jr. helped with its expansion into Mexico.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Sanchez forged successful careers with H-E-B, Kiolbassa

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When Adam A. Sanchez Jr. began working in the deli at H-E-B at 17, he started a career that would last almost four decades.

Helping to open stores in San Antonio and Houston, Sanchez also helped launch locations in Mexico.

“He started from the bottom … and worked his way up the chain,” his son Matthew Sanchez said. He “became somebody H-E-B loved.”

Later moving to Kiolbassa Smoked Meats — he had promoted its products while at H-E-B — Sanchez “helped us in a variety of areas with his experience and expertise,” said Michael Kiolbassa, company president. “He was everything you could want in a team member; he had a big heart, was a hard worker … he was the whole package.”

Sanchez died of a heart attack Tuesday, at 54.

A 1980 graduate at Sam Houston High School, Sanchez learned how to cut meat at one of the school’s vocational programs while also taking auto mechanics.

He started out at Ideal grocery store at age 16, then moved to the H-E-B on South New Braunfels Avenue at 17. He became a butcher at 18.